Affirmed by the millions (see Key Stats) flocking to 2023’s immersive Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet and David Hockney retrospectives, which use sensorial chromatic extended reality (XR) tech to awaken new aspects of the art, audiences are clamouring for deeper and preferably interactive access points. A metaverse-centred exhibition showcasing Salvador Dalí also spotlights how galleries deploy “new realities” to build fresh stories around well-known works.    

The mechanics of immersive exhibitions can also provide a visceral medium for surfacing diverse perspectives and historically overlooked narratives, facilitating a more nuanced cultural understanding among the general public. From seismic social events, like the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, to evocative paeans to the cultural practices of Indigenous communities, we unpack recent resonant examples.

With half of global consumers saying they like interacting with entertainment that explores dystopian futures (Wunderman Thompson, 2023), immersive exhibitions offering a safe space for investigating our anxieties about the future, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and climate breakdown. From AI-generated melting glaciers to tactile evocations of computing marvels, immersive shows are highly valued spaces for thinking (see Key Stats).

Some of the most radical art gallery recalibrations are deploying immersive experiences that marry art and sensory therapy for audiences seeking culture that simultaneously soothes and expands their minds. Major exhibitions – including the return of Japan-based international art collective TeamLab’s groundbreaking Borderless and a celebration of ASMR in London – aim to transport visitors to a state of higher consciousness.